1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a theft protection system, particularly for textiles, leather goods and other products, wherein the products are provided with a function strip, such as a seam band, waste band, hanger, label or the like, and wherein the function strip is provided with an alarm tripping device. The theft protection system further includes at least one detector placed in the exit areas of the selling floor of a shop, department store of the like, wherein the detector responds when a products provided with the alarm tripping device is being moved past the detector. The alarm tripping device includes at least one linear alarm tripping component provided for detectability and mounted on a carrier.
2. Description of the Related Art
In theft protection systems of the above-described type, an alarm tripping device, such as a transponder or a magnetic strip, is attached to a product. When a product secured in this manner is moved past a detector and the alarm tripping device has not been previously removed or made inoperative, the detector triggers an alarm. In alarm tripping devices of the above-mentioned type it is known in the art to mount the alarm tripping device, for example, a transponder, in a rigid plastic badge which is mounted visibly and detectably on a product, for example, on an article of clothing. In the transponder, a thread-shaped alarm tripping component, such as a coil of metal wire is connected to a capacitor to form an oscillation circuit. This oscillation circuit becomes active when an electromagnetic field acts from outside through the detector on the circuit and a current flow is produced inductively in the coil. In this manner, the alarm tripping device, in turn, produces an electromagnetic field which is sensed by the detector and the alarm is triggered as a result.
In a second type of alarm tripping devices, the thread-shaped alarm tripping component is mounted in the form of a magnetizable or a permanently magnetic strip onto an adhesive paper label. In the case of the embodiment using the magnetizable magnetic strip, the alarm tripping device must be magnetized prior to the sale of the product and the alarm tripping device is demagnetized once the product is sold.
Both alarm tripping devices of this type have in common that the weak magnetic field emanating from such a strip is sensed by a detector placed in an exit area when the product secured by such a label is moved past the detector and the detector then triggers an alarm.
It is known from German utility model G 9308632.6 to integrate an alarm tripping device, such as a transponder, in a function strip for textile products, wherein the alarm protection can then be removed again by an authorized person. Such a function strip may be, for example, the waist band of trousers, a hanger of a jacket or a label, etc. The function strip is sewn to the product, a piece of material of the article of clothing or the like, and the function strip cannot be removed without major effort. The function strip is constructed in two layers, wherein a free space, such as a pocket, exists between the two layers, wherein the alarm tripping device is placed in the free space.
The alarm tripping devices constructed as plastic badges can be seen very easily because of their configuration and size and, therefore, they can be easily identified and rendered useless by a potential burglar. In addition, the production cost of these alarm tripping devices is relatively high because of the number of necessary production steps.
The alarm tripping devices integrated in a function strip are also more difficult to produce because they require a separate manufacture of the alarm tripping device which is only subsequently integrated in the function strip.